The present invention relates to cleaning implements with gravity feed liquid dispensers. Liquid dispensers associated with cleaning implements, including mops, squeegees and brooms, are well known in the art of applying cleaning liquids, germicides and waxes to floor surfaces. Dispensers are provided as a container appended externally to the cleaning implement. For example, a liquid container may be mounted with brackets onto a mop handle. With the dispenser mounted to the mop handle, an operator may apply liquids onto a surface on which the operator is conducting cleaning tasks without re-saturating the mop by dipping the mop into a bucket or container filled with a cleaning liquid. Accordingly, the operator may conduct the cleaning task uninterrupted by frequent re-saturations, and without having to transport a bucket filled with cleaning liquids.
Typically, liquid is dispensed from handle mounted containers by the force of gravity. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,991 to Hamalainen, a bulky airtight liquid holding container is connected externally to a mop handle. Liquid flows out from the appended container through a system of tubes onto a surface by its own weight. The principle of operation of the dispenser is such that when air is allowed to enter the appended external container, a corresponding amount of liquid held in the appended container is dispensed onto the surface by force of gravity.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,467,983 and 6,227,744 disclose bucketless mops having fluid retaining and dispensing handles. An upper dispensing valve is mounted in the top of the tubular handle of the mop can be removed to facilitate filling the handle with cleaning fluid. Alternatively, the handle may include a separate filling opening, not shown in the drawings.